This is a project starting in 2023 in partnership with Chickenshed Theatre. Theatre staff will work with 5 schools for 6 weeks and run workshops for one year group per school (Reception – Yr2). This will provide a range of performance-related opportunities – singing, dancing, puppetry, movement, BSL and music – in order to support development of communication, language and expressive skills.

Since the pandemic schools report that they are overwhelmed by the number of young children starting school with lower than expected social, language and communication skills. This project seeks to support speech and language in a more practical way, outside of the classroom.

After the workshops are over Chickenshed will perform a series of their much-loved ‘Tales from the Shed’ show for a wider audience across our schools to enjoy and to experience in a theatre.

We will also perform a series of shows in community locations, using community languages, to ensure a wider audience can experience some theatre in their own communities.